Synopsis

At the Krusty Krab, Squidward sends SpongeBob an order for a Krabby Patty, and it ended up in his nose. After making the patty, it begins to "move" and makes its way towards the front door. Mr. Krabs pulls a tiny person out of the burger, whose none other than his nemesis, Plankton, and uses a plate to send him back to the Chum Bucket. Mr. Krabs explains that Plankton is his arch-competitor, and has been trying to steal the Krabby Patty's secret formula for years.

Later that night, after the Krusty Krab closes, Plankton tries to convince SpongeBob he and the fry cook are friends, and that as such SpongeBob should come to Plankton's birthday, as it is supposedly the following day. Plankton says that friends give each other things. Plankton asks SpongeBob what he thinks he'd like for a birthday present, and SpongeBob then guesses a booster seat. Plankton is very happy with that proposition, but refuses. Plankton tells SpongeBob that, for his birthday, he wants SpongeBob to give him a Krabby Patty. SpongeBob loudly and boldly refuses and runs back home, but Plankton promises that SpongeBob will "hand deliver it to (him) personally."

Later that night, Plankton enters SpongeBob's head through a pore and makes his way to SpongeBob's brain. He attaches a mind control device to the brain and bends SpongeBob to his will, forcing him to walk to the Krusty Krab, get a Krabby Patty, and bring it to the Chum Bucket's Laboratory. He brings it to an analyzer, which is designed to figure out the ingredients of whatever is dropped into it. As Plankton gloats over his victory and begins to force SpongeBob to drop the Krabby Patty, SpongeBob laments his failure to save it, lovingly describing the Krabby Patty's ingredients and succulence (ironically revealing the Secret Formula). A hungry Plankton leaps out of SpongeBob's head and onto the Krabby Patty, but bounces off of it and falls into the analyzer, thus trapping him inside his computer screen. SpongeBob walks home with the Krabby Patty in hand, ignoring Plankton's angry demands for him to bring it back, his last plea being "I'll settle for some fries!" closing the episode.

Release

Reception

As of February 1, 2019, The Internet Movie Database (IMDB) gives this episode a rating of 8.6/10 based on 650 ratings by users.[1] TV.com users give this episode a rating of 8.7/10 based on 267 votes.[2]

Plankton has a record player which he uses to dramatize his evil schemes. The record is Verve by Jack Shaindlin, and its B-side is "The Alphabet Song" sung by Peter Gosling.

The scene when Plankton says, "Come back here, you swine!" is sometimes cut because the word swine is offensive in some countries.

It is hinted that Plankton is simply lying to SpongeBob that his birthday is tomorrow so he can trick SpongeBob into giving him Krabby Patties. This is further hinted when he says, "Gee, and I thought you were stupid."

SpongeBob's quote, "Get out of my brain!" has become an internet meme.

As Plankton says, "This is my lab," a real-life labrador is shown. This also appears on the second SpongeBob level in the console version of the video game Nicktoons Unite!

In Plankton's laboratory, Karen is on the right wall from the doors, rather than the usual location straight ahead of the doors.

Plankton plays the nursery rhyme "This Little Piggy" on SpongeBob while trying to force him to drop the Krabby Patty.

Errors

On the television schedule, the episode is listed as "Plankton" without the exclamation point at the end of title.﻿[citation needed]

When Mr. Krabs first appears in this episode, his first lines are "Avast ye patty pirate! This is no ghost. This is... Plankton!" When he says, "This is no ghost," his mouth is visible, but his mouth remains closed.

At night when SpongeBob is walking home, he moves his head to his left to right and the Krusty Krab across the Chum Bucket is missing.

When SpongeBob drops the golden spatula it is right next to him. When he walks away from Plankton, it is gone.

The brain-control device says, "Total Control," however, all Plankton controls is SpongeBob's movements and his words.

The words "Total Control" disappear and reappear on the controller Plankton uses.

Black tie

When SpongeBob first walks toward his pants, his tie is red. When SpongeBob's pants are pulled across his face, his tie is black. Right after his pants are back in their normal spot on the hanger, his tie is red again.

When being forced into the Chum Bucket lab and screaming, SpongeBob's mouth doesn't move.